Optics Outfitter

Optics Outfitter offers prescription goggles for a variety of sports, stating on its website:

When you put in your full effort on the court or field, the last thing you want to worry about is pushing your eyeglasses back up your nose. Running, spinning, jumping, juking, swinging, and kicking all require you to throw your body around—including your head. In the process, your glasses will shift out of place, making it challenging to maximize your body-eye coordination.

And don’t forget about those heated pickleball matches.

Optics Outfitter claims all its frames “include” a clear single-vision prescription and consumers have the option to “upgrade” to a progressive prescription.

But the reality is neither prescription type is reflected in its advertised prices.

For example, the “Slam” glasses, seen below, are advertised as “starting at” $174.95.

However, that price doesn’t get you prescription lenses. If you want “vision correction” with your sports glasses, that’ll cost you another $75-$200.

All of this came as an unwelcome surprise for one TINA.org reader who saw his 30% Black Friday discount disappear as a result of the additional charge. As a consolation prize, our reader said a customer support agent told him that while there’s an added cost for a prescription, fog and scratch protection are free.

In a request for comment, TINA.org asked Optics Outfitter if customers typically purchase glasses without a prescription, avoiding the additional charge. The company did not respond to our inquiry.

The bottom line

If you see something advertised with a “starting” price, that should set off an alarm that additional charges may be afoot. As always, carefully review your online orders before completing a purchase.

Find more of our coverage on pricing issues here.